TN govt gets ready to face rains, prevent flooding

After facing major criticism last monsoon, the Greater Chennai Corporation began desilting the stormwater drain network and the canals running across the city to prevent flooding.

A high level meeting was held in which officials discussed how to tackle monsoon.

Officials visited hospitals that were inundated during the floods last year and checked if they have put in place a proper system for disaster management.

Last December, patients in critical care units of MIOT hospital died after the life-support system failed. The generators providing backup were inundated in flood waters amid power outage. Patients from the Global Hospitals had to be shifted to nearby hospitals after water entered the wards.

Speaking to reporters in the city after chairing a meeting of top officials to review rain preparedness, Revenue Minister Udhayakumar said, “With the north east monsoons expected to arrive in a few days, all arrangements are being done to prevent flooding and other rain-related issues”.

“We have prepared a list of 3,994 places affected by floods last year. Operations are underway to prevent water-stagnation here, by dividing these locations into four categories”.